Nurse might get an invite to be a spare, I genuinely cannot see him playing top pair. Hotsam Batcho is going to have a top-4 spot locked up no matter what and Theodore might be Canada's best LHD since Bouwmeester.

Theodore - Makar
Chabot - Pietrangelo
Rielly - Ekblad
Nurse - Hamilton

Honestly I was going to argue that both O'Reilly and Bergeron should be higher up the roster and I fundamentally cannot. Maybe O'Reilly over Barzal and Bergeron over Stamkos if the brass wants to be more conservative against the Americans and Russians?

Can't help but wonder if Huberdeau would be a better fit with McDavid and MacKinnon.

I agree with everything you’ve said. Nurse likely gets a shot to make the roster but could end up as a scratch. Chabot is super underrated playing in Ottawa and Theodore is so good.

I can’t see O’reilly or Bergeron playing over anyone here. Maybe stammer as he’s aging a bit and they might want to just use his spot for someone who can shut it down with coots.

Huberdeau 100% is a better option at 1LW. Just swap him and point.

pelech, pulock and chychrun would be good fits too

The biggest thing against the Islander defencemen right now is that Team Canada is probably only going to bring 8 defencemen. Nurse really has the attention of the Canada brass because of his physicality and the relationship he has with Hockey Canada.

I wouldn't be ruling out Chychrun either but ultimately I think he's a better fit for 2026 than 2022.

tbf, trotz is one of the coaches of the team. i think pelech has a very solid shot, especially over morgan rielly, considering he's got a very different skill set that none of the other LHD on here have (elite defensive play). i think they take theodore, chabot, pelech and nurse.

they could bring devon toews if they want him and makar to play together

Honestly, the idea of a line with the speed and versatility of McDavid, MacKinnon, and Point just seemed too exciting to resist. Swapping Point with Huberdeau would definitely be an option, this team will have plenty at forward. I also think since they have so many penalty killers already there may not be a need for Bergeron or O’Reilly outside of being extras.

On D I think the right side is set and very strong. If Toronto’s powerplay does well I think Rielly makes it, otherwise potentially just as an extra. Something I think working against Chabot, Pulock, and Pelech is their lack of experience playing alongside elite forwards, that may mean they get in as an extra to kill penalties, but I think this favours players like Nurse, Rielly, Toews, or even Morrissey. The same could be said about Nurse, but one of the main strengths of Chabot is his ability to play significant minutes, but with the strength of the blue line that’s not as necessary, I’m just much higher on Nurse than Chabot. Chychrun is a difficult case because he’s very talented but he’s looked bad this year on an awful team, I agree he’s likely better suited for 2026.

For forwards would you swap Point-Huberdeau and Couturier-Scheifele to make a L3 shutdown line of Point-Couturier-Marner (could also put Marner with Crosby and Stone on the shutdown line). Realistically the Crosby be line could take the other checking minutes so the 4th line could play less and contribute to special teams (for example Stamkos on the PP).

Then you’d have:
Huberdeau-McDavid-MacKinnon
Marchand-Crosby-Stone
Point-Couturier-Marner
Barzal-Scheifele-Stamkos
(Bergeron, O’Reilly)